Today is the first day of June. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I'm Brian. It's great to be here with you today.

We're doing it again, right? Ending a week and beginning a month. So lots of

transition here. Welcome to the sixth month of our journey.

We have taken step by step day by day

and wound our way all the way into second Samuel and deeply into the life of King David,

who at this moment in our in our journey is running for his life. His son Absalom is trying to take over the throne and

David's family has obviously fallen apart.

So we pick up the story 2nd Samuel, Chapter 18, verse 1 through 19, verse 10 today.

David now mustered the men who were with him and appointed generals and captains to lead them.

He sent the troops out in three groups placing one group under Joab, one under Joab's brother Abishai, son of Zuruia, and one under Itai, the man from Gath.

The king told his troops, I am going out with you. But his men objected strongly, you must not go, they urged.

If we have to turn and run, and even if half of us die, it will make no difference to Absalom's troops.

They will be looking only for you.

You are worth 10,000 of us.

And it is better that you stay here in the town and send help if we need it.

If you think that's the best plan, I'll do it. The king answered.

So he stood alongside the gate of the town as all the troops marched out in groups of hundreds and of thousands.

And the king gave this command to Joab Abishai into Thai.

For my sake, deal gently with you. and it

had tried to deal gently with young Absalom.

And all the troops heard the king give this order to his commanders.

So the battle began in the forest of Ephraim and the Israelite troops were beaten back by David's men.

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